Welcoming the University of Alberta to Coursera

The University of Alberta is joining other top universities, including the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto, as the third Canadian institution to join Coursera. We’re excited to be able to share the U of A’s unique expertise through their first course offering, Dino101, an exploration of Dinosaur Paleobiology guided by the scientific method.

Whether you’re a dinosaur aficionado or don’t know a Brontosaurus from a T-Rex you’ll have a chance to learn all about dinosaurs and how we study these fascinating extinct creatures. In this course you’ll learn from one of the world’s foremost dinosaur experts, Professor Philip Currie, along with co-presenter Betsy Kruk. Professor Currie is the curator of dinosaurs at the U of A’s Laboratory for Vertebrate Paleontology and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

This course will offer glimpses at bone digs and visits to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. Students will also get a chance to discover brand new interactive features on Coursera, including a 3D fossil file of actual scanned dino bones that can be manipulate on screen, a bone puzzle, and a ‘history of time’ tool that visualizes the species that roamed the Earth at various periods.

We’re pleased to announce that Dino101 will be the first Canadian MOOC to be offered with a transfer credit option. University of Alberta students can receive UAlberta credit either through the online course version (PALEO 200) or the in-class experience version (PALEO 201). You can learn more about credit options from the U of A.